La Caleta(Playa de la Caleta)

Located in the port city of Cadiz, La Caleta is a small, wide, crowded, and beige colored beach – which is also known as La Caleta Beach – that is the most popular beach in Cadiz.  La Caleta is situated in front of the Bay of Cadiz between the castles of San Sebastian and Santa Catalina.  La Caleta Beach is the smallest beach in Cadiz and was the entry spot for the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Romans when they invaded Spain in 200 BC.  La Caleta is known to have inspired many famous musicians and poets including Isaac Albeniz, Jose Maria Peman, Paco Alba, and Carlos Cano.  The beach has also been the setting for many films including 007: Die Another Day, Alatriste, and Manolete.  La Caleta Beach has been awarded the Blue Flag by the European Union due its cleanliness, and is adjacent to  Puerta Tierra’s Old Town which is a well-known historic gateway in Cadiz that was built in 1732.  Puerta Tierra’s Old Town features light-and-sound shows at night and motion videos showcasing the city’s Mayan heritage that are projected on its walls.  

La Caleta offers many amenities including lifeguards, restrooms, showers, water sport equipment rentals, beach bars, and wheelchair accessible features.  The beach can be accessed via stairs or ramps. 

There are many fun activities at La Caleta including swimming, diving, kayaking, sunbathing, and beach walking. 

La Caleta has beach ramps that wheelchairs can use to navigate the beach.

Getting to La Caleta is very easy – there is a paid parking lot at Av. Duque de Nájera, 6, 11002 Cádiz that provides easy access to the beach. 

La Caleta is located between two breakwaters which gives it a shell-like shape and protects it from east winds – the beach runs along a promenade featuring palm trees, souvenir shops, restaurants, bars, and cafés.  

If you are looking for attractions near La Caleta, you can drive five minutes to Arco Del Populo, a historical landmark that is a popular archway in Cadiz – its interior walls are styled to match with the building techniques of Islamic walls of the 10th and 11th Century.  Santa Catalina Castle is a 17th Century Italian-styled castle with a star-shaped floor that was built on a large rock and served as a military prison from 1769 to shortly before 1991.  Gran Teatro Falla is a performing arts theater that is located at Pl. Fragela, s/n, 11003 Cádiz and hosts many plays and concerts throughout the year – it also hosts the Carnival of Cadiz, one of the best carnivals in Spain that occurs every February.  Another great attraction near La Caleta is Cadiz Museum that is located in an old Franciscan convent and modern building and houses a very popular 17th Century Spanish collection including paintings, traditional puppets, and archeological artifacts. 

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants within a five-minute drive of La Caleta.  Restaurante Charlotte Santa Maria features seafood rice, shrimp scampi, nachos with beans, provolone with mushrooms, and desserts.  Restaurante Charlotte Santa Maria also has a beautiful terrace with sunset views and serves international cocktails at very reasonable prices.  Mare’s is an authentic Spanish restaurant with modern countryside interior, a spacious terrace, and a menu that focuses on contemporary Mediterranean specialties including prawns, fried calamari, coca bread with vine tomato, and grilled razor clams.  Tirabuzon serves sardines, salads, pasta, pork, tuna, steaks, and cakes in a patio setting overlooking the sea.  Another good restaurant near La Caleta is La Oveja Negra that offers oysters, sashimi, meatballs, tapas, and drinks - it has a small bar and prepares food using modern recipes and techniques. 

If you are looking for a hotel near La Caleta, you can drive two minutes to the 4-Star Parador de Cadiz that overlooks the North Atlantic Ocean and offers many amenities including a pool, poolside bar, lounge, restaurant, spa, sauna, and gym.  Occidental Cadiz is a 4-Star hotel featuring a bar and restaurant – it is located conveniently close to the nearby restaurants and local shops.  If you are looking for budget-friendly hotels near La Caleta, the 4-Star Hotel Spa Cadiz Plaza is a family established hotel with oceanfront rooms and suites, a café, a spa, and a sauna – and Hotel Regio Cadiz is a 3-Star hotel that is situated in the main street of Cadiz, offers awesome views of the nearby areas, and has a nice lobby lounge.